


So Many Questions

by justanotherbusyfangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fisherman Sam Winchester, Gen, Mermaid Claire Novak, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-09-07 17:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16858237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherbusyfangirl/pseuds/justanotherbusyfangirl
Summary: Sam finds something besides fish as he heads out to the open sea.





	So Many Questions

Sam’s line pulled slightly, but he knew better than to react.  It was just the normal ebb and flow of the water – a fish would feel differently.  He sighed, resting his chin on his free hand.  

It had been a long, unsuccessful day in the bay.  He’d only caught a few fish, barely enough to feed himself and definitely not enough to trade with.  The sun was past its midpoint in the sky, and Sam knew that if he didn’t catch something soon he’d be going hungry in a couple days.

His little boat bobbed on the waves that came in from the open sea.  The waves drew his eye, seeming to draw a path in the water toward the opening of the bay.  He hadn’t gone out past the mouth many times, but a thought in his brain told him maybe today was the day.

Maybe there were more fish to catch out there in the open.

Deciding quickly, Sam pulled in his line, wrapping it carefully before laying it in the bottom of the boat.  He grabbed his oars, making quick work of setting toward the mouth of the bay.  His strong arms made the travel quick, gliding him across the top of the water smoothly.

Sam watched his town get smaller and smaller as he went, the docks blending in with the colorful houses.  He’d lived there his whole life, and it was times like these when he wondered what else could be found out there in the world, if only he had the courage to go see.

Sam slowed as he got closer to the mouth of the bay, wondering if he’d gone far enough now to put out his line again.  It was only a hundred yards until freedom, though, so he pressed on.  The sun was moving swifter toward the horizon now, though, making him nervous for his trek back to the shore.

He pressed on.

The line of rocks was approaching that marked the opening of the ocean.  With a few more strokes Sam would be out, set his line, and hope for the best –

“Aah!” a cry sounded to the right of Sam’s boat, making him freeze.  His head snapped toward the sound, only seeing rocks.  

“Hello?” he called, voice tentative.  

“Hello!” a voice answered, feminine and scared.

Sam swallowed, looking around more before turning his boat to the right.  “Are you alright?”  For a moment, the only sound was of the waves crashing on the rocks, making Sam think that he’d just been hearing things.

“Please, I – I –“

He hadn’t been hearing things.  Sam followed the sound until he rounded one of the larger rocks protruding from the water, seeing a blonde head of hair.  “Miss!”

The head turned, blue eyes meeting Sam’s hazel.  “Are you alright?” Sam asked, finding a place to tie his boat as close to her as he could get.  She didn’t answer, watching him closely instead.  Sam stood in his boat, jumping from it to a rock just next to her.

“Don’t hurt me, please,” the girl said, drawing Sam’s gaze again.  It was from his standing position that he saw it – this wasn’t just an ordinary girl lost in the bay.

This girl had a tail where she should have legs, light blue and shimmering in the light.  Sam swallowed, shocked at the appearance.  Then he saw the gash in her tail.

“I’m not going to hurt you, how can I help?”

The girl studied Sam’s face for a minute before she saw the truth in his eyes.  Many men would take advantage, but she knew this one wouldn’t.

“Take me to Jody’s.  She’s got a place in town, she can help me.”

Sam nodded, looking back toward his boat where it was tied up.  “Should I – can I…”

She smiled.  “My name is Claire.  You’ll need to carry me in.”

Sam nodded again, coming close to her.  “I’m Sam.  Sorry for this.”  Claire was silent about Sam’s apology as he kneeled beside her, awkwardly finding placement for him to pick her up.  Her tail was damp, but not slimy, so it was easy for him to slip an arm below where her knees would be.  Her torso, however, was mostly bare, and he gulped as he slipped his hand across her bare back.

“It’s okay, Sam,” Claire reassured him.  He nodded, standing with her in his arms and taking her back to his boat.  He set her down carefully, trying not to notice how enticingly she laid back.  He climbed in after her, pushing off from the rocks and pointing his boat back to the town.

So much for catching any more fish today.

Sam made quick work of the bay, approaching the town just as the sun met the horizon.  He stopped for a minute to watch it, the orange glow beautifully reflecting on the water.  Claire watched him, a soft smile on her face as she saw how much he appreciated nature.

Sam realized that Claire was staring at him and got flustered.  He fumbled in the bottom of the boat, grabbing a small blanket he kept there for emergencies.  “You, uh, should probably cover up as I pull into town.”

Claire nodded, accepting the blanket and draping it over her tail.  She hissed as it hit the gash, but that was the only sound she made.  Sam also removed his outer jacket, letting her use it to cover her bare shoulders.  When she was settled again, he turned back to row them the rest of the way to the dock.

Luck was on their side, it seemed, as the majority of people had already come ashore.  Usually Sam would be stuck in a ten minute conversation with Bobby Singer, the man who kept up the docks, but Bobby was nowhere to be found.  Sam tied his boat to it’s mooring before bending over to pick Claire up once more.  He made sure her tail was still covered with the blanket before walking quickly onto land, following her directions to Jody’s place.

As Sam approached, he took in the small shop.  He’d only been there once or twice, Jody’s inventory geared more toward women and their, ah, business, rather than men.  He pushed the door open with his foot and a bell rang above his head as he carefully turned his body to take Claire through the door without bumping her tail or head.

Jody came through a door from the back and stopped in surprise at the picture before her.

“Claire!?” she exclaimed, running around the counter to them.

“’s okay, Jody,” Claire said, eyeing Sam.  “I just needed a bit of help getting here, that’s all.”  

Jody’s eyes narrowed at Claire’s nondescript explanation before she motioned for Sam to take her through the door behind the counter.  He headed that way, careful of Claire’s head on the doorway again, and eased Claire down on the cot he found there.

He stood back, watching as Jody bustled around.  Claire took the blanket off of her tail, showing Jody the injury.  She tutted, just like a mother would, before running around the room and grabbing things off the shelves.  Finally she forced a jar into Sam’s hand, pushing him toward Claire and the cot.

“Rub that into her cut, gently.  Go with the scales, not against.”

Sam looked at her like she was crazy, but kneeled down all the same.  He met Claire’s eyes, gaining a nod of encouragement from her.  He opened the jar, dipping his fingers into the salve inside.  As gently as he could, he began rubbing the salve over the cut, making a thick layer of whiteness on the gash.

When he was satisfied, he sat back on his heels, waiting for more instruction.  Claire gasped and curled toward her tail, making Sam look at his work.  Had he done something wrong?

Before his eyes, he watched as the gash, that had just been deep and nasty, shrank before his eyes.  The scales grew back and in just a minute Sam wouldn’t have been able to pick out where Claire’s injury once was.

Claire’s hand came down to feel her tail, smoothing the scales downward with a smile.  “Jody, you’re a lifesaver,” she commented.  Jody just grunted from across the room.  “Sam, you want to see something really amazing?”

Sam nodded, wondering how many amazing things he would be privy to seeing today.  A dim, blue light settled around Claire’s tail before brightening, enough that he had to squint his eyes to see.  When the light dimmed, the tail was gone and two very human legs had replaced it.  Claire kicked them both, as if she were testing their movement.

“See, I couldn’t change with the injury, but now that I’m better I’m all legs again!” she explained, turning on the cot and standing.  Sam stood with her, putting the top back on the jar of salve.  

Claire was short, especially compared to Sam, and he was sure that she was much younger than he…unless mermaids had some sort of expanded lifetimes.  There were so many questions…

“Sam, why don’t you join us for dinner, yeah?” Jody asked from behind him, drawing his attention.  He held the jar of salve out to her and she accepted it, watching him carefully.

Sam smiled, figuring they were going to give him a  _talk_  and answer some of his questions.  “I’d love to, thank you.”

Hopefully a dinner with these strange women tonight would help Sam learn a thing or two about the world, and it would definitely keep him from going hungry tonight.


End file.
